GIRLS HOOPS: Bulldogs can 12 treys in opening win

The Orient-Macksburg girls shot the basketball well from the perimeter, sinking a dozen 3-pointers in a 63-43 triumph over the Rockets last Tuesday, Nov. 26.

“We shot the basketball well and that opened things up for our inside game,” said Orient-Macksburg head coach Dave Hartman. “We got up and down the floor and moved the ball well and that got us a lot of points that way. I thought we settled for some shots in the third quarter and that gave them a chance to cut into the lead. Despite that, I never felt that the game was not in control.”

The Bulldogs took control of the game in the first quarter using a 21-6 scoring run. Carter Osborne scored the first points of the season on a 3-pointer in the opening minute. The Bulldogs added a 23-point second quarter which extended their lead to 44-17 at halftime.

The Rockets tried to climb back into the game in the second half, using a 15-4 run to start the third quarter, which cut the score to 46-32. The Bulldogs led 50-34 going to the final quarter.

The Bulldogs outscored the Rockets 13-9 in the fourth quarter, which helped them distance themselves and get the win.

The Bulldogs are coming off an 11-12 season, their best win total since the 2011-12 season when they were 13-8. Last year’s win total was just the second time since that season that the Bulldogs have had 10 or more wins. The other time was the 2019-20 season when O-M was 10-12.

The Bulldogs were at Hamburg Monday for a second-straight non-conference game. They return to the court Friday at home, playing Moulton-Udell to open Bluegrass Conference action.Against Paton-Churdan, three Bulldogs scored in double figures. Emma Boswell had a double-double, scoring 22 points while grabbing the same amount of rebounds. She was 9-of-17 shooting and 2-of-4 from the free throw line, while blocking six shots, handing out three assists and getting two steals.

Mattie Thompson added 16 pounds, five rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Ella Boswell scored a dozen, grabbed five rebounds and five assists.

Hartman said once the lead was large enough, his team was able to work on things that will help them down the line.

“We played a lot of man-to-man in the second half. With our lead in the second half, we were able to work on that. We have a way to go on that and it was good to get the work in.”

Paton-Churdan was led by sophomore Kaliyah Minnihan’s 24 points and 18 rebounds. Ella Tasler added 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Rockets made 18-of-72 shot attempts in the game and struggled from the outside, making only 3-of-18 3-point attempts.